Quick Facts

Why Study Anthropology

If you think anthropology is limited to the study of stones and old bones, think again! Though anthropology does look at stones and bones, it also examines the politics, medicine, kinship, art and religion of various peoples and times. This makes the study of anthropology a complex task, for it requires an understanding of the basics of numerous disciplines such as geology, biology, art and psychology.

Regardless of the specific area being studied, the essence of anthropology is in the observation of different peoples and cultures—studying them as they really are instead of how you think they should or should not behave. It is only through this detailed study of all people that we gain the full picture of what it really is to be human.

Anthropology tries to bring the world’s peoples into human focus. Anthropologists don’t come up with a theory and see if people live up to it. They live with people and see what they do.

Opportunities for Anthropology Minors

Anthropology Laboratory

The departmental lab emphasizes archaeological teaching and provides an excellent opportunity for students to apply scientific methods of hypothesis testing in the context of the social sciences. Among the goals of the program are to teach archaeological recording techniques, to develop an understanding of the procedures and mastery of the techniques of specific scientific instruments, and to familiarize students with the analysis of artifactual and paleoenvironmental data.

Fields

Anthropology at PLU is composed of four fields:

  • Cultural anthropology studies living human cultures in order to create a cross-cultural understanding of human behavior.
  • Archaeology has the same goal as cultural anthropology, but uses data from the physical remains of past cultures to reach it.
  • Linguistic anthropology studies the interrelationships between language and other aspects of culture and how languages have changed over time.
  • Physical anthropology studies the emergence and subsequent biological adaptations of humanity as a species.

Course Requirements

Minor: 20 semester hours, including 102, and 101 or 103 or 104; one course from those numbered 330-345; one course from those numbered 350-499; and four additional hours in anthropology.

Course Offerings
 For course requirements and other information, view the online catalog. »